Officer accused in death of South Surrey man elects for trial by judge and jury

The officer charged in connection with the shooting death of 20-year-old Hudson Brooks outside South Surrey RCMP detachment in 2015 had her first court day on the matter this afternoon.

Const. Elizabeth Cucheran did not personally appear in Surrey Provincial Court, but was represented by lawyer Andrea Kastanis, who appeared for defence counsel David Butcher.

Kastanis told the court that Cucheran had elected for trial by judge and jury.

She later confirmed to Peace Arch News that eight days had been set aside in November and December for the preliminary hearing. According to online court records, those proceedings are to take place Nov. 5-8 and Dec. 18-21.

Surrey RCMP Const. Elizabeth Cucheran has elected to be tried by judge and jury, court hears

Brooks’ mother Jennifer – who was relieved to learn last month that the Crown charged the officer with one count of aggravated assault and one count of assault with a deadly weapon – did not attend the court proceedings. She told PAN last month that she didn’t plan to, and that she also wouldn’t share Cucheran’s name on social media, even thought it is already public.

“They have a family, too,” she said following the charge announcement. “I’m not on a witch hunt. I don’t think this woman walked out and said, ‘I’m going to shoot and kill a boy today.’ It’s such a tragedy. There’s a no-win situation here, for our family and hers.”

One man who did attend court Tuesday told PAN that he came because he “heard stuff that night” – a reference to the date Hudson Brooks was fatally shot.